US country music star George Hamilton IV, who was fondly welcomed to Lochgelly, has died in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 77.

He came to have a great appreciation of the people of Lochgelly in the midst of his international travels as a singer.

George has twice been in Lochgelly at the invitation of the local Baptist church. Minister, Rev Jon Magee, said “He was a talented man with great humility who was at ease in the company of all who he was in contact with. He spoke enthusiatically of his appreciation of the time spent with the people of Lochgelly.

“I remember the first time he came was early in my ministry at Lochgelly. A retired American Ministerwas coming for a series of special meetings. He phoned and said ‘there is a young man who was in a church where I used to be who sings some, and visits Europe often. I am sure he would come and sing for us if possible. I wonder if you have heard of him, he said, his name is George Hamilton IV’.

“Anyway, he agreed to come, but when the retired minister took ill and was unable to come I thought that was the end of hopes for George to come. However, George was faithful to his promise and gave us four nights before he resumed his busy schedule elsewhere.

“He loved his time in Lochgelly so much, that he made contact a few years later to offer us a further evening of his singing, this time in the Lochgelly Centre theatre”.

Indeed, in addition to that the following Sunday Morning George made a surprise visit to the morning worship at Lochgelly Baptist Church.

The singer and guitarist, who began performing as a teenager in the 1950s, had suffered a major heart attack the previous weekend.

At the start of his career in 1956, George Hamilton had a top five hit in the US with A Rose and A Baby Ruth, which led to tours with pop idols Buddy Holly and the Everly Brothers. But he was steered into the world of country music, after being mentored by Chet Atkins.

George Hamilton is survived by his wife Tinky, two sons George V and Peyton, and daughter Mary.